Thanks for the comment and excerpt. I couldn’t agree more!

Thank you, as always, for the comments. I think you are both right. The approach we are taking is to get as good as possible in all areas of the game while moving out from the hole. Deliberate Practice suggests that you focus on your weaknesses in order to improve your overall game. I believe that this is the best approach, especially for someone new to the game. Perhaps there will be a day when I can “specialize” in some aspect of golf, but for now it’s all about pushing forward and making the weaknesses strengths.

As you get better and better and making practice more deliberate and purposeful gets harder and harder (does that make sense?), remember this excerpt from “Bounce” (if you haven’t had a chance to read it yet).
“‘When most people practice, they focus on the things they can do effortlessly,’ Ericsson has said. ‘Expert practice is different. It entails considerable, specific, and sustained efforts to do something you can’t do well – or even at all. Research across domains shows that it is only by working at what you can’t do that you turn into the expert you want to become.”

As for developing and improving strengths, your entire hole-outwards approach is designed for this purpose. You’re making putting, chipping, pitching, and the wedge game your strengths, and these are the areas (in that order) which most affect your ability to score.

Keep your mind mindfully open, but believe in the path you’ve chosen. That will be your greatest strength.

there exist contrarian articles too. In some management theories they suggest concentrating upon what is called “the critical path” or the weakest part of the chain. Because improving there will add the most value to the total outcome.

Focusing on strenght might surely be the right idea after becoming at least “average” at every part of the game. For example for some time I struggled to get the ball onto the green with an acceptable number of shots, when at the same time I was already very good at putting. If I had then concentrated on improving my putting even more, I would never have had the chance to show my good putting on the course because I had to pick up the ball before the green …

I think you’ve already got the concept. The mentioned NHL players are at least average everywhere and when they then concentrate on improving their strenght areas(what indeed mentally is the best concept) they can really become great.

If and when I’m in Santa Barbara I will definitely look you up. Let’s get a round in soon!

if you’re ever in Santa Barbara, CA for any reason, hit me up and let’s play a round!!!